Drew Mays to headline UAB series

UAB to host pianists
by MICHAEL HUEBNER September 9, 2007
. . .
A Birmingham opththalmologist will headline the 2007-08 UAB Piano Series. Drew Mays, winner of the 2007 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, joins Roberto Plano and duo-pianists Christina and Michelle Naughton for the series.

Mays won the competition in June following a 15-year keyboard hiatus and second-place victory in the Rocky Mountain Amateur Piano Competition in 2006. Plano, a finalist at the regular (nonamateur) Van Cliburn competition in 2005, won first prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition in 2001.

Mays brings winning piano skills home to Alabama

Birmingham News
Michael Huebner’s blog and column
June 14, 2007

First, let’s dispense with the qualifiers:

For an ophthalmologist, Drew Mays is an outstanding pianist. For an amateur, he’s … an outstanding pianist.

Dr. Mays and Mark Fuller on WRR 101.1 FM

WRR Classical 101.1 FM – Dallas / Fort Worth
(currently featured on WRR’s homepage, June 10, 2007)

Drew Mays, Ophthalmologist from Birmingham, Alabama, Wins First Prize in Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth International Piano competition for Outstanding Amateurs Mark Fuller of Arizona, Second Prize winner, Clark Griffith of Texas Third Prize winner. WRR wants to congratulate all the competitors! Hear an interview with Dr. Mays and Mark Fuller with Karen Moyer.

Eye doctor to treat state ears with his champion piano playing

Sunday, June 10, 2007
The Birmingham News

Ophthalmologist Drew Mays will give an Alabama audience a chance to hear what made him a piano champion last week.

Wednesday at 6 p.m., Birmingham’s newest musical phenom, who took first prize at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs a week ago, will perform at Moody Concert Hall on the UA campus in Tuscaloosa.

A talent for law – and piano

by Richard Nilsen
The Arizona Republic
June 10, 2007

Phoenix lawyer Mark Fuller knows how to appeal to a jury.

Last week, the jury he won over presided at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Amateurs. He placed second among 75 pianists from all over the world in the prestigious competition held every four years in Fort Worth, Texas, on off years between the bigger Van Cliburn competition for younger career musicians.

“Investment analyst Ken Iisaka of Mill Valley was one of six finalists”

San Francisco Chronicle
by Leah Garchik
June 8, 2007

Investment analyst Ken Iisaka of Mill Valley was one of six finalists in the recent Van Cliburn International Amateur Piano competition in Fort Worth, Texas. There were 75 competitors, so getting so far was a major achievement.

Snap shots: arts in the news

Arizonans in piano competition
Arizona Star, June 8, 2007
by Cathalena E. Burch

A Phoenix lawyer finished second in the Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in Texas last weekend.

Tucsonan and retired court reporter Michael Moore made the semifinals but did not advance to the final competitions on Sunday.

Performance Today: Special Feature

Hear Van Cliburn Competition winner, Drew Mays, perform Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1

Hear Van Cliburn Competition finalist, Mark Fuller, perform the fourth movement from Samuel Barber’s Sonata for Piano, Op. 26.

Hear competition finalist, Slava Levin, perform Schumann’s Toccata, Op. 7

Hear highlights from Fred Child’s conversation with competition winner, Drew Mays.

Four Cliburn Gold Medalists Play Together In Historic Performance

by Bill Zeeble, KERA reporter

FORT WORTH, TX (2007-06-04) Bill Zeeble, KERA 90.1 reporter:
The last time anything like this happened was 1989, when Cliburn Gold Medalists Vladimir Viardo, Jose Feghali, Stephen deGroote and Ralph Votapek played for a fundraiser. Van Cliburn Foundation president Richard Rodzinski remembers an obstacle in the way.

Cliburn results: passion over precision

The Oregonian
David Stabler’s blog
June 4, 2007

FORT WORTH — Big, bold playing won out over a more cerebral style in the final round of the Cliburn Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Sunday. While the press jury chose the considered and organic playing of Arizona lawyer Mark Fuller, the regular jury went for a more charismatic pianist, Drew Mays, an opthamologist from Birmingham, Alabama.

A fiery finish for top players

Drew Mays, left, is congratulated by friend Mark Cannon, center, and his wife Therese Mays after winning the Cliburn amateur piano competition at TCU on Sunday, June 3, 2007. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Khampha Bouaphanh)

by MATTHEW ERIKSON/ Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Monday, June 4, 2007

FORT WORTH — Before arriving last week at the Cliburn Foundation’s fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, Drew Mays had set reaching the semifinals as his goal. His dream was reaching the finals.But Sunday, the 47-year-old ophthalmologist from Birmingham, Ala., took top honors at Texas Christian University’s Ed Landreth Auditorium. He bested 74 other amateur pianists from 23 states and Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany and Switzerland to win $2,000; recital dates in Washington, D.C., and Laguna Beach, Calif.; and a pair of custom spurs.

Alabama man wins Cliburn piano contest

Jun 4, 2007

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — An ophthalmologist from Birmingham, Ala., bested 74 other competitors from 23 states and seven nations to win the Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

Drew Mays, 47, took top honors Sunday for his 30-minute recital of Beethoven’s “Waldstein” sonata and Liszt’s “Mephisto Waltz.” Mays also won the audience award and the best performance of a work from the Romantic Era.

Doc wins Cliburn Amateur contest

Non-pro pianists shine in Fort Worth

By SCOTT CANTRELL/ Classical Music Critic
Dallas Morning News/ Monday, June 4, 2007

FORT WORTH-Dr. Drew Mays, an ophthalmologist from Birmingham, Ala., took the $2,000 first prize Sunday evening in the Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. In the competition’s final round, held Sunday afternoon at Texas Christian University’s Ed Landreth Auditorium, Dr. Mays played Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata and the Liszt Mephisto Waltz No. 1.

Local doctor is piano champ

First-rate playing caps amateur win 

MICHAEL HUEBNER/ News staff writer
Monday, June 4, 2007

Birmingham ophthalmologist Drew Mays took first prize Sunday at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in Fort Worth, Texas.

The 46-year-old glaucoma specialist, who has a private practice and directs the ophthalmology residency program at UAB, topped a field of 75 pianists from Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland and 23 American states.

Overland Park man makes finals in international amateur piano contest

By PAUL HORSLEY
The Kansas City Star
June 3, 2007

Slava Levin, an Overland Park Internet technology manager, reached the finals of the Van Cliburn Foundation’s amateur piano competition in Fort Worth, Texas, today.

The 51-year-old Russian-born pianist was one of six selected from a field of 121 entries. The International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs showcases talented pianists from around the world who make their living in areas other than music.

Cliburn Finals Today

by David Stabler/ The Oregonian
June 03, 2007

I’m in Fort Worth to judge today’s finals in the Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. We’ll hear six finalists beginning at 1 p.m., followed by voting and an awards presentation.

Birmingham physician wins amateur piano competition

Birmingham News
June 3, 2007 10:00 pm
Michael Huebner’s blog and column

Professional ophthalmologist and amateur pianist Drew Mays won first prize at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Local pianist makes the cut

Overland Park man was a finalist before winner named in Cliburn event.

By PAUL HORSLEY/ The Kansas City Star
Sunday, June 3, 2007

FORT WORTH, Texas | Slava Levin, an Overland Park Internet technology manager, reached the finals Sunday of the Van Cliburn Foundation’s amateur piano competition in Fort Worth.

Dr. Katz bows out in piano competition

Arts News
by SARAH BRYAN MILLER/ St. Louis Post-Dispatch
June 3, 2007

Dr. Richard Katz was one of the 75 pianists who competed for the fifth Van Cliburn International Competition for Outstanding Amateurs last week in Fort Worth, Texas. But along with 49 others, the Clayton resident didn’t make it to the semifinal round of 25. Those performers were to be reduced to six for the final round. (SBM)

First-rate playing narrows field to 6

Photo: Ron Jenkins/S-T
By PUNCH SHAW
Special to the Star-Telegram
Sunday, June 3, 2007

FORT WORTH — And then there were six.The Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs narrowed its field of 25 semifinalists to a half-dozen finalists Saturday night after an afternoon and evening filled with first-rate performances.

Pianist Tries Cliburn After Glass. Not That Glass.

NPR: Weekend Edition
Interviews

 

Weekend Edition Saturday, June 2, 2007 · The Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth annual International Competition for Outstanding Amateurs is underway this week. NPR’s John Ydstie talks to one of the semifinalists, 46-year-old Greg Fisher, a former child prodigy who has worked at his family’s glass and mirror installation company in Edmond, Okla., for the past 30 years.

As Cliburn field narrows, fare gets richer

By MATTHEW ERIKSON
Star-Telegram staff writer
Saturday, June 2, 2007

FORT WORTH — The number of contestants shrunk in the first day of semifinals Friday at the fifth annual Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

KUT Austin radio piece

Andy Uhler from KUT 90.5 reports on the Amateur Competition. 

25 advance to Cliburn semifinals

by SCOTT CANTRELL/ Dallas Morning News
Friday, June 1, 2007

Twenty-five pianists have advanced to the semifinal round of the Van Cliburn Foundation’s Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

Mays advances in Cliburn amateur competition

by Michael Huebner
Birmingham News
May 31, 2007  

Birmingham ophthalmologist Drew Mays has advanced to the second round in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas, Mays impressed a panel of 16 judges with performances of Bach’s G major Prelude and Fugue (Book 1), Ravel’s “Jeau d’eau” and a Rachmaninoff Etude. Mays is one of 25 pianists remaining from a field of 75.

Cliburn first-round results

by David Stabler/ The Oregonian
May 31, 2007

Sylvia Gray had to wait until 12:30 a.m. Thursday to hear the outcome. She didn’t make it to the semi-finals in the Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, but she says she’s OK with that.

First round finishes with ups and downs

 
Esfir Ross of Oakland, Calif., performs in the first round of the Cliburn Amateur. She is one of 25 performers chosen for the semifinals.
STAR-TELEGRAM/KHAMPHA BOUAPHANH

By MATTHEW ERIKSON
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Thursday, May 31, 2007

FORT WORTH — Why must pianists play by memory? Call it an idle question, but it did come to mind Wednesday during the third day of the Cliburn Amateurs competition.

There’s a common belief that professionals memorize (prominent exceptions such as Sviatoslav Richter notwithstanding), while amateurs don’t. For the preliminary rounds of the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, which ended Wednesday, most of the competitors performed without music, although the rules don’t say they have to.

Sylvia Gray debuts at the Cliburn

The Oregonian
David Stabler’s blog
May 30, 2007

We’re following Sylvia Gray, the Portland history teacher who is competing in the Cliburn Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs in Fort Worth.

‘Anything goes’ in lively competition

By MATTHEW ERIKSON
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

FORT WORTH — Flailing arms and deafening chords, all emanating from a rocking, large-sized frame

If there were an award for Best Choreography, Fort Worth resident James Raphael would have won it easily Tuesday in Day 2 of the Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs.

Amateur Piano Contest Kicks Off in Texas

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 28, 2007 Filed at 7:22 p.m. ET

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — IBM engineer Viktors Berstis can thank his mother for his piano playing talent.

Berstis, who was born at a Latvian refugee camp near Nurnberg, Germany, was just 10 months old when his family moved to Michigan. When he was 7, his uncle began teaching him how to play the piano.